The Crest Of Emotion
by Queen0of0Hearts
Summary: Ryan runs into problems with Oliver. Marissa loves Ryan, but Oliver is forcing her to do things she doesn't want to. His drug problems all turn from fake to fate as Marissa corrupts Ryan's heart.
1. Mental Image

~There is always something before there is forgetfulness. ~  
  
************* The Crest of Emotion  
  
*************  
  
Ryan stepped into the Cohen's house, his hand staying on the doorknob as the door protruded into the room. There was something about the house that just didn't make him want to say 'his' house. He was satisfied with the Cohen's house. The pictures on the wall made him stop and stare. Some were recent ones Kristen had taken last week of him and Marissa; the faded face of Oliver in the background. The beach was so calm. So calm that he melted inside when he saw them. It was so rare that he smiled and he was so deep into the picture he dropped the bag he was holding in his right hand. Sandy quickly greeted him from the far right.  
  
"Hey, Ryan. What have you been up to?" Ryan looked from the corner of his eye to catch his expression. Sandy gleamed with suspicious smile. He quickly retreated his eyes to his book bag he had mindlessly dropped.  
  
"Good. You?" Ryan picked up his book bag and swung it over his shoulder. The strap that cupped his shoulder scraped against his skin the t-shirt revealed. He flinched.  
  
"You look surprised? Wondering why I'm home?" Sandy walked into the living room where Ryan sat. He turned his head to get a good look at Ryan's eyes. They always expressed his emotion more clearly than anything. "Ryan?"  
  
"Wha?" Ryan blinked a couple of times, and quickly snapped out of a daze.  
  
"Things are going more than perfect with the lighthouse. I want you to come and look it over, just to see what you think. Maybe Seth will come along, too. What do you say? You want to go check it out?" Ryan's eyes dazed of at the picture on the wall again. Marissa's hair. Oh how he loved just sitting next to her. He always had a want to just caress through her hair with his fingers. Ryan was not one to show his emotions. The wouldn't just do it any time. It had to be the perfect time. But even just looking; just for a moment . . .her hair . . . "Ryan?" His thoughts trailed off.  
  
"Oh. Yeah. Fine." Ryan forced himself to respond. His eyes rose to Sandy's than dropped again, turning to look at the picture. Sandy recognized what he was staring at. He gazed over at the picture himself.  
  
"Marissa."  
  
"What?" This got Ryan's attention.  
  
"How is she doing?"  
  
"Oh. Good. She . . .um . . .she has been away a lot. She's helping . . .a friend of mine." He stole a quick glance with Sandy. Ryan choked out the word 'friend'. Oliver was by far his friend. He winced at the thought of him. It made him think about Marissa. He hadn't seen her in awhile. Maybe she was waiting for him to call. "I have to go call her." Ryan gave a slight nod and got up to walk out of the living room. "Excuse me." He sighed as he pushed passed Sandy. He sat there, his back toward Ryan leaving the room. For a moment he was wondering what was really on his mind. His eyes might express his feelings, but they didn't substitute for Ryan telling him how he was really feeling. He heaved a sign, which brought his shoulders up past his chin and relaxed his tense muscles; it had never been easy to talk to Ryan. Not since his mother called and talked to him. They fought because Ryan wouldn't tell him what she had said. For weeks they hadn't spoke. Sandy looked up at the picture Ryan had been staring at. Sandy got up and strode over to it. He thought to himself about Marissa. Ryan hadn't talked about her lately. All Ryan usually talked about was Marissa. 


	2. The Phone Call

*************** The Crest of Emotion ***************  
  
Ryan walked into his room and tossed his backpack up against the headboard of his bed. The milky brown color of it made the book bag stand out from the rest of the bed. He leaned up against the wall and lifted his head to the ceiling. His blue eyes rested upon the white indent of it. His face was so concentrated, but almost like he lost himself for different reasons all together. The phone rang and he stared at it for a second before walking over and picking it up. He sighed as he lifted the phone and spoke in a soft voice, almost forcing the words out. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey." Marissa charmed in from the other end. Ryan heaved a sigh of relief that it wasn't his mom. He was in no position to deal with her now. Not now when all this was going on. He sat down slowly on his bed, dimming the small light he just received for Christmas.  
  
"Marissa . . ."  
  
"Ryan, you haven't called me. I thought you would at least talk . . ."  
  
"I'm sorry. I've been thinking about you. I shouldn't have waited this long." Ryan was serious. He had been thinking about her. Ever since Marissa overdosed again and went to the medical rehabilitation center in the same room as Oliver, Ryan had been thinking about her.  
  
"It's ok. Just . . . try to call me more often. They let me talk all day long."  
  
"How are you doing? Are you breathing alright?" Ryan sounded extremely worried.  
  
"I'm fine. But Oliver isn't doing that well. He . . . he ran away last night. No one can find him and I'm really worried. He hasn't done this in awhile. I thought . . . I thought he was ok." Marissa was quivering. On her medical nightstand rested a small container of pills for her shaking. She reached over and single-handedly popped six into her mouth. Ryan heard the sound of the pills shaking in the container.  
  
"What's that?" Ryan exhaled into the phone. His eyes wandered all over his room for an answer he wouldn't find as he shifted on his bed.  
  
"My pills for my shaking. It makes me stop shaking."  
  
"Why are you shaking?"  
  
"Well, I . . ." Just than the nurse walked in and started fixing her tray for a late lunch. Marissa held the phone to the pillow allowing Ryan to only heard part of her and the nurse's conversation.  
  
"Now, Marissa, I'm sorry I was so late. I ran into an old lady trying to get out without her penicillin. She wouldn't give up and. . ." The nurse glanced over at her shaking pills. They were near empty. "Marissa, what happened to your pills? I just gave them to you yesterday." The nurse talked with an ambitious voice. Ryan heard the nurse's words and spoke loudly into the phone.  
  
"Marissa!" Ryan held the phone to his mouth with both hands. Marissa pressed the phone into her pillow more. Ryan could just barely hear.  
  
"I'm sorry. Some of them fell into my water this morning. They got all soggy and I couldn't put them back." Ryan heard that, but the words he wanted to come out weren't found. The nurse nodded her head.  
  
"I'll go get you some more." The nurse looked convinced. Marissa held the phone back to her ear when the nurse left.  
  
"Marissa, I thought you . . ."  
  
"I-I dropped them in my water and . . ." Marissa stuttered out.  
  
"Bull shit! I'm coming to see you." Ryan arose from his bed in fury. His eyes shut tight and one hand had a strong clutch on his hair. He pulled it till it hurt.  
  
"You can't. Visiting hours isn't until tomorrow."  
  
"They'll let me in." Ryan let go of his hair and clenched his right fist.  
  
"Ryan . . ." Marissa sighed while moving her finger slowly over the blanket over half of her body.  
  
"I'll see you in a bit. If you even . . ." Ryan stopped. He lost it. "Bye, Marissa." Ryan didn't let Marissa dismiss him and hung up. He clenched his teeth this time and gritted his cheek. He was so close to throwing the phone across the room, but instead he looked around nervously and sat down on the bed again, holding the phone against his head along with his right hand holding his head up. He bit his lip, hard and blood trickled down his chin. 


End file.
